Since December, the Philadelphia Police Department has awarded more than 40 officers for using de-escalation tactics on the streets, and other police forces around the country are following suit.
The awards recognize officers' ability to defuse confrontations without shooting or using other types of force, according to The Associated Press.
"An officer going home is of paramount importance to us, but everybody should have an opportunity to go home if that presents itself," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross told the news outlet. "This is an effort to slow down situations for the sake of everybody concerned."
The Los Angeles Police Department recently created a "Preservation of Life" award and the U.S. Justice Department's new Community Policing Awards will recognize officers who show restraint in the line of duty.
The growing presence of such awards show an increased emphasis on de-escalation tactics following controversial police-involved shootings in Ferguson, Cleveland and Chicago.
While advocates say encouraging police to adopt de-escalation tactics will help create trust within communities, critics warn that it will ultimately put the lives of officers at risk.
The Los Angeles police union has called the LAPD's the award a bad idea.
"It suggests that officers must go above and beyond their normal activities to avoid harm; or put another way, that officers will be penalized for resorting to an appropriate, lawful use of force," the Los Angeles Police Protective League's Board of Directors said statement in November. "This award will prioritize the lives of suspected criminals over the lives of LAPD officers and goes against the core foundation of an officer's training."
